2012 NFL Mock Draft: G David DeCastro Still in Play for Dallas Cowboys?

The past couple of days have been a whirlwind of a change for the guard position in Dallas. 

In the span of 48 hours, the Cowboys signed Mackenzy Bernadeau (four years, $11 million) and Nate Livings (four years, $19 million) to contracts and released starter Kyle Kosier, which means Dallas should have a completely different looking offensive line up the middle next season.

But despite all the changes, the Cowboys are still expected to take a long look at Stanford guard David DeCastro with the 14th overall pick in April.

Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram thinks there's still a chance DeCastro will be the Cowboys' selection.

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Never mind that the Cowboys have signed two guards in free agency _ Nate Livings and Mackenzy Bernadeau _ for a combined $30 million, that will not preclude them from targeting Stanford guard David DeCastro with the 14th overall pick in the 2012 Draft.

Livings and Bernadeau got good money but no jobs have been given too them. Berrnadeau is a career backup. Livings started for the last two years in Cincinnati but there is a reason the Bengals made no real push to keep him.

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Livings started all 32 games for the Cincinnati Bengals over the last two seasons and is likely to occupy one guard spot in 2012. I don't think the Cowboys would give Livings almost $20 million without thinking he could handle holding down a starting job. 

Bernadeau, on the other hand, would have a hard time fighting off DeCastro if he was the pick. If the Cowboys used a high pick on a guard as widely respected as DeCastro, it's only safe to think the team would want him starting on day one. 

There's also 2011 seventh-round pick Bill Nagy, who the Cowboys were high on last season before he was lost for the season to an ankle injury.

If DeCastro's the pick for Dallas in April, competition will be fierce among the three interior line spots.

But there's no doubt that the Cowboys will be better up the middle in 2012, especially if DeCastro is taken. In the end, that reality might be worth spending even more on a problem position from last season.   

2012 NFL Mock Draft 

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2. Washington Redskins: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor (via trade with St. Louis Rams)

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil, OT, USC

4. Cleveland Browns: Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU  

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

6. St. Louis Rams: Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State (via trade with Washington Redskins)  

7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

8. Miami Dolphins: Courtney Upshaw, OLB/DE, Alabama

9. Carolina Panthers: Michael Brockers, DT, LSU

10. Buffalo Bills: Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

11. Kansas City Chiefs: Dontari Poe, NT Memphis

12. Seattle Seahawks: Nick Perry, DE, USC  

13. Arizona Cardinals: Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

14. Dallas Cowboys: David DeCastro, G, Stanford

15. Philadelphia Eagles: Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

16. New York Jets: Mark Barron, S, Alabama  

17. Cincinnati Bengals: Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

18. San Diego Chargers: Whitney Mercilus, DE/OLB, Illinois

19. Chicago Bears: Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford

20. Tennessee Titans: Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia 

21. Cincinnati Bengals: Lamar Miller, RB, Miami

22. Cleveland Browns: Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame 

23. Detroit Lions: Stephon Gilmore, CB, South Carolina

24. Pittsburgh Steelers: Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State 

25. Denver Broncos: Devon Still, DT, Penn State

26. Houston Texans: Kendall Wright, WR, Baylor

27. New England Patriots: Harrison Smith, S, Notre Dame

28. Green Bay Packers: Fletcher Cox, DL, Mississippi State

29. Baltimore Ravens: Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin

30. San Francisco 49ers: Alshon Jeffery, WR, South Carolina

31. New England Patriots: Rueben Randle, WR, LSU

32. New York Giants: Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama